With the bottom half complete (see part one), and looking pretty dam good, I’ve been keen to get this job finished. This involves knocking up a set of shelves to sit on top of the cupboard unit. My strategy is to build them as a separate unit, slide them on top, and...

If you live in an old house you’ve probably faced an alcove decision or two – what to do with those tempting spaces either side of a chimney-breast. Here is the first part of our DIY solution for an alcove unit.

The Victorians took their food seriously – in larger houses there could be several rooms, each dedicated to a distinct stage of food storage, preparation and clean-up. We kept it to one, transforming a dingy cupboard under the stair into a larder.